New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-07-12
MP u,c1yyy IND HIS CHURCH.

The most remarkable fact in the difficulty
between DIR. McGlynn and his Church Is his
refusal to acknowledge the grounds upon which
the latter has punished him In addressing
his friends and supporters on Sunday night
he declared emphatically that he was sus-
pended "because he taught the doctrine that
God made the land for the people, and re-
fused to retract it." Now DR.. McUlyhns
ecclesiastical superiors fatty deny the truth
of this assertion, claiming that ne was sus-
pcndcd, and ultimately communicated, be-
cause he refused to obey the orders gwen HIM
bv those authorities whom he had sworn ooedi-
ence to- They say that he was not condemneo
for teaching any doctrine, but Tor reoellihg
against the discipline of his Church They
saw that no one has q right to assume that II
he had gone to Rome he would have been
condemned for teaching any doctrine; that he
himself made it impossible to know whab
position the Church would take on that doc
trine by refusing to obey its lawful mandates
and that he put himself out Of court BY o.
stinately refusing to submit to It's Juflsoic-
ton. If there is any evidence in contravenuoh
Of these positions Dr. McGlynn has certainly
rot vet produced it, and so far as the pub
Gsbcd facts 90 they are wholly at variance
with the account given by him of the sltuatlon
But this is not the only point OF variance
between the Doctor and his Church. lie APP
pears to assume the right. first, 10 twist inc
procedure against him into an Interpretation
foreign to its obvious intent, and, second, TO
construe the canon law to suit h'mseii'
without regard TO the authority of the &C.
clesiastics who are alone authorized to DC
termine such matters. Nothing stranger has
bcen seen for some time indeed than tho
gravity with which not only DIR. McGlynn but
n crowd of his friends, many Of whom are not
Catholics. undertake to lay down the ia"
rs to how he should have been treated. they
seem to regard the discipline of the Catholic
Church as sort Of go-asyou-please' affair.
which NAV be arranged by anybody without
reference to the constituted authorities, ana
concerning which any ones opinion Is Just
as weighty as that of the Pope or the Propa-
canda. The vital distinction between disci-
Nine and doctrine, too is ignored by DR..
McGlynn in manner more suggestive OF
eNpediency than righteousness. PuDished.
according to the Church, for contumacy and
rebellion, he figures, according TO MS own
representations, as a martyr to convicuoh'
Even here. however, he does not put his view
of the case candidly. for the doctrine which nc
now saws he is prosecuted for is by no means
identical with that which he has been teach
inc At present he omits all reference to the
Endorsement of naked conflscatioD-that Is to
say. of wholesale robbery-which he puDhcly
made not long ago.
OF course nothing but confusion can come
If this way of dealing with facts. DR.. Nc
Glynn poses as a martyr on the streng'h OF
demonstrations which are without any sond
foundation. His friends support him on the
strength of theory which cannot be dem
onstratcd There is no point OF contact be
tween the position he assumes and that heio
by his Church The parties are hopelessly a
odds as TO the most elemental facts in tho
situation. The Church SAYS it Is not question
Of doctrine, but one of discipline DR.. Nc
Glynn saws it is not question Of discipline
but one of doctrine. How this dispute is tt
he adjusted nobody seems to have any idea
bat it is possible that the Church may mo
it necessary To make public full and cie@
statement showing precisely how DIR. McOiyni
has entailed accommodation upon hinneh
Such an authoritative and oonclusivc'stateneh'
indeed may be the only method OF deterinnihp
. matter which is becoming more scandalou'
continually from the point OF view OF th'
Church of Rome, and further retcence
concerning it can only breed added con
fusion and ll-fecling Of course, 1t is plan
that so long as an open issue exists as to wha
DIR. McGlynn was communicated Tor, th'
intention of the discipline must fail OF elect
while it is liable to be used for ends
which the Church at least never contemplated